1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a sliding apparatus with a self-closing means.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, sliding apparatuses are built so that storage parts that store various kinds of articles therein and are part of furniture, refrigerators, or various kinds of filling cabinets slide between the opened and closed positions. The main body of the piece of furniture, refrigerator, or of the filling cabinets which come in a variety of different kinds contains a space for installing the storage part, and the sliding apparatus is provided on the inner wall of the space and opposite sides of the storage part to perform the sliding operation using a rolling type of contact. The storage part equipped with the sliding apparatus slides in the space of the main body because of the sliding apparatus and in doing so opens or closes, thus allowing articles to be put into or taken out of the storage part. That is, the sliding apparatus connects the storage part to the main body, and the storage part can slide smoothly because the sliding apparatus is rolled when the storage part is opened or closed.
As described above, the conventional sliding apparatus for sliding the storage part is constructed so that fixed rails and movable rails are mounted on the main body and the storage part, respectively, using sliding means, such as a ball or a roller, which perform the sliding operation using a rolling type of contact. The fixed and movable rails are slidably coupled to each other by the sliding means, such as a ball or a roller, which perform the sliding operation using the rolling type of contact. Thus, when the storage part is pushed in or pulled out, the movable rails slidably move along the fixed rails via the sliding means.
Further, the sliding apparatus is provided between the moving storage part and the main body, and the sliding apparatus is problematic in that the sliding rails are exposed at the inner portion of the main body and the outer portion of the storage part which is pulled out. Especially in the case of a refrigerator, the main body is full of cool air which may cause drops of water to condense, and the drops of water formed by the condensation may freeze in the cool air to form frost. If the frost is formed on the sliding surface of the sliding apparatus which is exposed, the operability of the sliding apparatus is deteriorated.
Further, the storage part used in a device for storing foodstuffs, such as a refrigerator, and the sliding apparatus are painted white. However, as the sliding apparatus repeatedly slides, the white paint peels off, so that the sliding apparatus must be replaced with a new one. As such, the life-span of the sliding apparatus is reduced.
Further, the sliding apparatus moves while rolling using the sliding means, thus allowing the storage part to be easily moved just by a small amount of force. However, since the storage part coupled via a sliding member can slide even under a small amount of force, the closed storage part may slide because of gravity and be moved out. For example, if the conventional sliding apparatus is provided on the main body of a refrigerator or the like, the storage part slides because of gravity and is moved out, so that cool air may escape out.
In order to solve the problem, in recent years, a sliding apparatus is installed to incline downwards from the open to the closed side. Thus, even if the storage part slides because of gravity, the gravity acts in the closing direction, thus preventing the storage part from being undesirably opened.
However, the conventional sliding apparatus is problematic in that, even when the storage part stops opening at a certain point or has been completely opened, the storage part may slide because of gravity and move in the closing direction, so that it is difficult for a user to maintain the storage part in a partially opened state.
The aforesaid sliding apparatus may be equipped with a self-closing means which is provided on the fixed rail mounted on the main body to move the movable rail mounted on the storage part using elasticity. When the storage part reaches a position where the self-closing operation is performed during the closing operation of the storage part, the self-closing means latches the storage part, so that the storage part is automatically closed by the elastic force. After the storage part has been closed, the storage part is kept closed by the elastic force. When the storage part is supposed to be opened, the storage part is released from the self-closing means, so that the storage part can be operated and be opened.
The self-closing means is problematic in that the elastic member having an elastic force which acts as a self-closing force during the self-closing operation comprises a single member, so that it is difficult to control the elastic force. That is, the self-closing operation of the storage part is implemented by the elastic force which is generated when the elastic member is restored from a stretched state to the original state thereof. Thus, in order to control the elastic force, the elastic member must be replaced with another one having the desired elastic force. Therefore, if the elastic member having a large elastic force is used to increase the force used to perform the self-closing operation, it is difficult for a user to pull out the elastic member of the large elastic force and move the storage part in the opening direction. Meanwhile, if the elastic member having a small force is used to smoothly pull the storage part out, it is easy to pull out the storage part, but the self-closing function is deteriorated. Thus, the closing operation may be stopped even though the storage part has not completely closed.
Further, pinion gear units may be rotatably supported on the opposite sides of the storage part equipped with the conventional sliding apparatus, and rack units may be provided on the fixed rails facing the opposite sides equipped with the pinion gear units to engage with the corresponding pinion gear units. Each rack unit is fastened to the corresponding fixed rail using a bolt or a rivet, and engages with the corresponding pinion gear unit within the sliding section of the storage part. When the storage part equipped with the sliding apparatus moves, each pinion gear unit is rotated while engaging with the corresponding rack unit. As the pinion gear units provided on the opposite sides are rotated while engaging with the corresponding rack units having teeth of the same size, both sides of the storage part may be moved at the same speed. Thus, both sides of the storage part are moved at the same speed by the pinion gear units and the rack units which engage with each other, so that the twisting of the storage part due to a difference in moving speed can be prevented.
In the sliding apparatus having the pinion gear units and the rack units, each rack unit is installed at an associated fixed rail to which the corresponding movable rail is slidably coupled. Thus, in order to prevent interference between the rack units and the pinion gear units, the sliding section of the movable rail includes a distance wherein a self-closing operation takes place. Since the operating distance of the self-closing means is included in the sliding section of the movable rail, the sliding section of the movable rail is undesirably limited.
Therefore, the conventional self-closing means must also adjust the sliding distance of the sliding apparatus when the operating distance of the self-closing means is adjusted. That is, if the operating distance of the self-closing means is adjusted to be longer, the sliding distance of the sliding apparatus becomes shorter. The operating distance of the sliding apparatus is determined by the size of the storage part and the space of the main body accommodating the storage part. Thus, the distance required for the self-closing operation of the self-closing means is limited, so that it is difficult to adjust the distance for the self-closing operation.
Further, the conventional self-closing means is problematic in that it must be installed in consideration of the sliding distance of the sliding apparatus and the distance wherein the self-closing operation takes place, so that it is difficult to install the self-closing means.